The present invention relates to an electric-energy generating apparatus and a method of manufacturing the same. More particularly, the invention relates to an electric energy generating apparatus including a hydrogen-electrode film and an oxygen-electrode film to which hydrogen and oxygen are supplied, respectively, and designed to generate a desired electromotive force, and to this electric energy generating apparatus.
In general, fossil fuel such as gasoline and light oil have been widely used as sources of energy not only in automobiles but also in generating electric power stations. Thanks to the use of fossil fuels, man could remarkably enhance the living standard and accomplished the industrial development. The use of fossil fuels, however, has created a menace of environmental destruction to the planet earth. The fossil fuels will exhaust in the future. A long stable supply of them has become questionable.
Water contains hydrogen. Hydrogen exits in unlimited abundance on the earth. A unit amount of hydrogen provides a large amount of chemical energy. When hydrogen is used as a source of energy, it does not release injurious materials, global warming gas or the like. Recently hydrogen has attracted much attention, as an inexhaustible source of energy.
Particularly in recent years, many research and development have been made of electric energy generating apparatuses that can extract electric energy from hydrogen. It is expected that the electric energy generating apparatuses be applied to large-scale power stations and on-site private power plants. Moreover, it is expected that the apparatuses be used as power sources in automobiles.
An electric energy generating apparatus, which is configured to extract electric energy from hydrogen, has a hydrogen electrode and an oxygen electrode, to which hydrogen and oxygen are supplied, respectively. The hydrogen supplied to the hydrogen electrode decomposes into protons and electrons due to the action of the catalyst used. The electrons are absorbed into the hydrogen electrode. The protons are brought to the oxygen electrode. The electrons absorbed into the hydrogen electrode are brought to the oxygen electrode via a load. On the other hand, the oxygen supplied to the oxygen electrode combine with the protons and electrons brought to it from the hydrogen electrode by virtue of the catalyst, generating water. An electromotive force is thus generated between the hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode. The electric energy generating apparatus therefore causes an electric current to flow through the load.
In the electric energy generating apparatus configured to extract electric energy from hydrogen, the hydrogen supplied to the hydrogen electrode decomposes into protons and electrons as described above, to generate an electromotive force between the hydrogen electrode and the oxygen electrode. At the oxygen electrode, the protons and the electrons, brought from the hydrogen electrode, must react to generate water. If the hydrogen supplied to the hydrogen electrode remains in a large amount at the oxygen electrode, not decomposed into protons and electrons, the hydrogen concentration will increase at the oxygen electrode. Consequently, at the oxygen electrode the same reaction will take place as at the hydrogen electrode. If the reaction at the oxygen electrode proceeds to the same extent as at the hydrogen electrode, the polarity of the electric energy generating apparatus decreases. In this case, the apparatus can no longer generate an electromotive force of the desired magnitude; it cannot function as a practical electric energy generating apparatus.